


Mute

by Shazkowalski



Series: The Trait Series [5]
Category: Homeland
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-26 08:43:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18279686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shazkowalski/pseuds/Shazkowalski
Summary: This takes place during the season two episode 'The Clearing' a couple of little interludes for the episode!Please let me know your thoughts!Chapter Two Added 31st March 2019 and now complete!





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Next part in the Trait Series of stories! We are still on Season two!
> 
> Please let me know what you think and thanks for your support so far!

Mute

“Just for the record I think this is an incredibly bad idea Quinn” Carrie stated as she watched her colleague fold himself rather painfully into the front seat of her car. The man had been shot by a terrorist organisation attempting to cover their tracks less than three days ago and had rather foolishly discharged himself out of hospital.

“I’m fine Carrie” he stated, the sweat covering his too pale face showing his words to be a lie. 

“Sure you are” she scoffed as she got herself in to the driver’s seat and drove them both back to Langley. Quinn sat with his head resting against the head rest and his eyes closed, every bump in the road sending pain through his torso that there was no escape from. “I think we should go back” Carrie commented taking in his appearance.

“Like hell, just get us there” he stated through gritted teeth, not opening his eyes but his words firm. She sighed, she barely knew the man, but he was clearly dedicated she would give him that. The journey seemed to last a life time for the injured man, and he was beyond grateful when they finally pulled into the little car park beside their makeshift ops room. Carrie moved round the car quickly and reached in to help the man out. Quinn winced at the pain and the indignity of Carrie helping him. 

“Thanks” he muttered, unable to bring himself to offer any more. He shrugged off her grip and walked under his own steam into the room, the case officer following behind him. She shook her head at his independence and walked closely behind, ready to catch him if he needed her too. 

Max looked up as the two walked into the room- he startled in surprise at seeing Quinn back at work.

“Hey” he greeted, his expression showing how unsure he was. Quinn nodded in greeting, and walked slowly into the room. 

“Any updates?” Carrie asked Max as she put her bag down on her desk. Max shook his head, but pointed at the screen. Carrie sat down in her usual spot shaking her head at Quinn as he chose to stand. She was no fool, she knew it was because it caused him too much pain to sit. She stood back up and headed to her bag taking his pills out and handing them to him along with a bottle of water.

“Thanks” he acknowledged immediately tapping two out and swallowing them. “I’m just going to the rest room” he stated, and she got to her feet as if to go with him. He shook his head at her, his message clear and she sat back down.

“What on earth is he doing here?” Max asked her as soon as the other man had left the room. 

“Discharged himself Max”

“He should be in a hospital Carrie- he was shot less than a week ago and can barely stand up” he told her, for once being firm in his communication. 

“It’s his choice Max” she told him with a sigh. “Although for the record I fully agree with you” she added, her own frustration evident in her voice. They were interrupted by the phone ringing, and Carrie reached for it straight away.

“Hello” she greeted.

“Carrie- explain to me why I have just called the hospital to get an update on our guys only to be told that Peter Quinn has walked the hell out of there?” Estes’ voice came through loud and clear.

“Peter Quinn discharged himself sir” she replied to the director with a wince, the man was clearly unhappy with this development. 

“Is he there? Let me speak with him” he asked, just as the subject of their conversation headed back into the room. Carrie handed him the receiver wordlessly, and Quinn took it with a shrug.

“Hello?” he greeted.

“What the hell is going on Peter? You got yourself shot at a Tailor’s shop and then don’t even stay in the hospital long enough for them to finish your treatment? You have a job to do and I need to make sure you are in a condition to do it” Estes ranted at him, no concern evident in his voice. 

“I am fully aware of my duties sir” Quinn stated down the phone, his voice controlled but his words still drawing the attention of Carrie and Max. “I am getting an update from Max right away and in a day or so I will be fully back to strength” he stated and he saw Carrie roll her eyes as she heard his words.

“Make sure you are Peter- this is a matter of National Security and we can’t take any risks” Estes warned and disconnected the call. 

“Asshole” Quinn muttered as he reached to hang the phone back up, stopping as the action pulled on his new stitches and he only just stopped himself from crying out. Carrie reached forward and took the handset from him hanging it up for him. She winced for him as she saw the flash of pain on his face. 

“Estes being his usual caring self?” she asked seriously. 

“Yep- he’s right. It was sloppy getting hit like that. I should have taken the reinforcements from the start” he told her and finally sat down, although winced heavily as he did so. 

“Why would you? The shop had been under guard for nearly two weeks and as far as we were aware was secure and just needed searching. There were at least ten of you Quinn, all armed, there was no way that you could have known” she told him, hoping to reassure him in his rare flash of insecurity. 

“Yeah well tell that to the families of all the guys that aren’t coming home tonight” he told her, his face set in a serious line and his eyes reflecting his sadness. Carrie grimaced, she would struggle to answer that one as it was a fact they had lost six men, none of whom deserved that. She sighed, not used to this side of the other man, she squeezed his shoulder, laughing as the action clearly took him by surprise. He was saved from further comment by activity on the screen they were watching, he sat back and watched Brody. 

No matter what the final outcome this was a worthwhile job, and he would make sure that the people that had killed their agents would pay for what they had done.

End Chapter One


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Max isn't a mute......but maybe Quinn would prefer it if he was!

Chapter Two

“I got the mute all set to drive me” Quinn finished.

“With that gut wound?” Saul queried in surprise. He knew how badly the younger man had been injured, and there was no way he should be jetting off to tackle a suspected terrorist- hell the man shouldn’t even be out of bed.

“I’m fine” Quinn responded, leaving no room for argument. Max glanced up at the words, not missing the pale face and the sweat that covered his forehead. He also didn’t miss the shirt still being untucked, the trousers clearly being looser than usual and the fact he was yet again tapping out more pills- obviously in pain. The lead operative ended the call and Max couldn’t help but comment.

“I’m not a mute” he stated simply, not missing the momentary grin and shrug that crossed the face of the other man. 

“Sorry” Quinn muttered after a moment. 

“I’m also not stupid” Max added, making eye contact with the stranger. Quinn looked at him questioningly. “There’s no way you should be travelling over there” he stated. Quinn rolled his eyes.

“We need to follow this through- the circle of trust isn’t that big” he continued with a smirk. Max winced, he knew that was a fact- there were very few of them actually read in on the true nature of the operation, it was far too high risk for them to make it a large op. 

“And if you keel over and get yourself killed it will make it even smaller” he commented. 

“It’s a simple grab Max” Quinn assured him with a sigh. He was tired and his entire torso was throbbing as he forced himself to stay on his feet when all he wanted to do was to lay down in a dark room and regain some energy. 

“Simple grab- until it isn’t” the tech stated softly. He knew that he was overstepping his own boundaries, knew he had no place to challenge the operative- but there was something about him that made him feel that he wanted to protect the younger man. 

“We have to finish this Max- they were our guys that they killed” Quinn reasoned, a rare flash of vulnerability in his tone.

“So getting yourself killed won’t bring them back” Max added. 

“I am not willing to lose any more of our guys” Quinn stated, his voice and posture leaving no room for argument. Max looked at him- really saw him. Noticed a fire to his clear blue eyes and a hint of danger to his voice as he spoke. He saw the slender, but muscular build of the other man and the faint scars that told a potential story of a violent history- but was he the victim or the perpetrator? There was a story there, he was sure of it. He was not surprised that Carrie had asked him to look into the other man- and he had to admit he was interested himself. There was definitely more to him than an Analyst- the simple fact that Estes had put him on this job proved that. The stranger was methodical, thorough and focussed, and Max couldn’t help but like him even though Carrie would kill him if he ever dared to admit it. 

Quinn knew that Max was observing him, was almost certain that the other man was attempting to dig into his past- he also knew that he would in all likelihood fail miserably to find out anything of substance. His file was sealed, water tight and the little information that it did hold would be little help to the man. He hadn’t lied when he had said he had been in the agency for ten years- he had, and he truly had served around Langley and with the cartels. He had just failed to mention the role he had taken. He closed his eyes at the thought- they had lost good guys from the group on that last job- two men he had worked with for over five years blown up and gone in the blink of an eye. He rubbed his hand over his face, this was supposed to be a mission to clear his head- work through the Brody case- take him out and then return to his day job- but yet he had lost six men, six good and capable men murdered simply because they were doing their job. That was on him. He was the lead for this operation so he had to take responsibility and there was no way he was willing to lose any more. He wouldn’t send someone else to follow up the lead- couldn’t live with himself if someone else got killed in his place- it was his job and he was going to do it. 

He got to his feet and placed his side arm in his holster- carrying at the hip felt strange to him after he had been out in the shadows for so long, it almost felt civilised. 

“You look like shit Quinn- but if you insist on going I’ll give you a ride” Max stated, his voice soft and taking the operative by surprise. He knew he had little choice anyway as he would ultimately just do as he was instructed, but he still felt the need to say it. Quinn nodded, accepting the partial truce.

“I am pretty sure that I preferred you mute” he stated with a small smile as he placed his laptop in his carry case and carefully pulled on his hooded top. Max chuckled lightly, surprised to find his repeat for the other man growing, he doubted they would ever go on to be friends, but he may learn to trust him afterall.

The End


End file.
